Laundry drier



Ju1y28,197o J L.EBSCHER 3,521,757

` LAUNDRY DRIER Filed Feb. 2o, 1969 4 sheets-mwen 1 g1 m i i@ J. LIEBSCHER LAUNDRY mame July z8, 1970 4 Sheets-Sheet n Filed Feb. 20, 1969 mgl J. LIEBSCHER LAUNDRY DRI ER July 2s, 1970 4 Sheets-,Sheet 15 Filed Feb. 2o, 1969 United states Patent O LAUNDRY DRIER Johannes Liebscher, Nassau (Lahn), Germany, asslgno to Gunter Leifheit KG, Nassau, Germany Filed Feb. 20, 1969, Ser. No. 801,025

U.S. Cl. lll-1.3 20 Claims `ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE y A laundry drier has an elongated base member and a pair of arms each turnably mounted on the. base member at one end of the latter so that they can bepivoted between an inactive position in which they parallel the base member and an active position in which they extend normal thereto. Each arm is provided with a plurality of .longitudinally extending parallel groovesand inv each groove, a slider is mounted for -longitudinal movement therein. Connecting means lconnects all sliders of each arm so that they move consecutively when any one is moved. Hangers extend between associated sliders of the respective arms and a rocker arrangement is provided on the base member and engages the arms when thesame are moved to their inoperative position for causing them to assume predetermined relative positions, and is operative for shifting one of the arms out of its. inoperative position in response to movement of the other arm beyond the inoperative position thereof.

BACKGROUND OFTH INVENTION The present invention relates generally to a laundry drier, and more particularly to a collapsible laundry drier.

It is already known to provide collapsible laundry driers which, when opened, provide one or more clothes lines, rods, bars o'r the like on which laundry to be dried may be hung. However, these constructions suffer from various disadvantages and, while they are certainly usable, have not been found to be entirely satisfactory. Those skilled in the art will be aware of the problems and it is lherefore not believed necessary to discuss these in detail. f It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to overcome such disadvantages. s

More particularly it is an object of the present inven-l tion to provide an improved clothes drier of the collapsible type Iwhich is not possessed of the disadvantages present in the constructions known heretofore.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a clothes drier of the type under discussionwhich' in collapsed condition has considerably smaller dimensions than heretofore possible.

AY concomitant object of the invention is to provide such a clothes drier wherein collapsingl and opening of the arrangement is greatly .simplified and wherein the movable'components are guided reliably and automatically between their respective end positions in response to operation ofthe clothes drier to convert it from its inoperative position to its operative position, and vice versa.

SUMMARY or THE INvENrIoN In-pursuance of the above objects, and others which vmember and an active position extending normal thereto.

front pori `of the arms -16 and 17 is connected with the base mem- 3,521,757 VPatented July k28, y1.970

TCC

The arms have respective surfaces which face one another when they are in active position. A pluralityof parallel grooves is provided in each of the surfaces and extends from the'respective rear portion longitudinally of the respective arm towards the corresponding front portion. A slider i's mounted in each' of the grooves for movement longitudinally thereof. Connecting means connects al1 sliders of each arm for consecutive movement when any one slider moves. Hanger means extends between associated sliders of the respective arms and rocker means is mounted on the base member and serves to engage the arms and to effect predetermined positioning thereof relative to one another when they are moved to their inoperative position, and for shifting one of the arms out of its inoperative position in response to movement of the other arm beyond the inoperative position thereof.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in vthe appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the novel drier shown in collapsed condition;

FIG. 2 is a top-plan view of the drier of FIG. 1 shown in opened or operative position;

FIG. 3 is a section on the line III- III of FIG. 2, shown on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary detail view of FIG. 3, shown on a further enlarged scale;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary end-elevation of one of the arms shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-4, on the same scale as FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevational detail view of FIG. 4, on a further enlarged scale;

FIG. 7 is a somewhat diagrammatic illustration of a slider for use in the illustrated embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a'fragmentary elevation of the base member of the illustrated embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a section taken on the line IX-IX of FIG. 8; FIG. l0 is a section taken on the line X-X of FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 10 but illustratingv bodiment illustrated;

FIG. 13 is a rear View of FIG. l2; FIG. 14 isy a section taken onthe line FIG. 12; and l l FIG. l5 a section takenon the line of DESCRIPTION 0E THE PREFERRED" -f e yfEMBoDIMErsITsl Discussing now the drawinginl detail, it will be seen that in FIG; l,vI.-have illustratedanovel drier according to my present invention shown in collapsed condition in" which it is inoperative. In FIG. 2, I -have shown the same ydrier in .openedpor operative position and it will be seen from FIG. 2 that the drier according to my present in' vention comprises an elongated base member 15 and two arms 16, 17 lwhose combined length in -the illustratedembodiments (compare FIG. 1) is substantially the same as the length of base member 15. The rear portion of each XIV-*XIV of.

ber 15, and more specifically connected therewith by a normally vertical pin 21 so as to be turnable with reference to the base member 1 5 from a position in which each arm 16, 17 extends in parallelism with the base member to al position in which it extends normal there; to, the latter position being the operative position shown in FIG. 2. As shown in FIGS. ,3 and 9, incidentally, I prefer tomake the base member 15 with a substantially ,IJ-shaped cross' section so thatit has abottorn wall or bight 18 provided with a longitudinal rib and an upper as well as a lower leg 19, 20, respectively, extending along the bottom wall 18. It might be more specifically and accurately stated that the Wall 18 is aback wall because itwill normally be placed against a support, such as the wall of a room or the like with the arms 16, 17 in operative position extending substantially horizontal.

.T he inner surfaces of the arms 16, 17, that is the surfaces which face one another when the arms are in the position shown in FIG. 2, are provided with longitudinally extending grooves 22-29 which extend forwardly fromr the respective rear end and which, in accordance with the present invention, are of different lengths. In other words, as shown in the drawing and particularly in FIGS. 3 and 4, successive grooves 22-29 are of progressively different lengths, Transverse wall portions close the ends of the grooves 22-28 which are proximal to the respective free end portions of the arms 16 and 17; the end of the groove 29 in each case is open. The opposite ends of the grooves 22-29, that is the ones closer to the base member 15, are open but are blocked when the pins 21 are inserted which connect the respective arms 16- and 17 with the base member 15. As shown in FIG. 5, the cross-sectional configuration of the grooves 22-29 is decreased at 3-1.

Each of the aforementioned grooves 22-29 accommodates a slider which is longitudinally slidable therein. As shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, the configurations of the sliders 35 are so selected that they are readily receivable in the respective grooves 22-29, and each slider provided comprises an elongated portion 36 which is provided with a longitudinally extending recess 37 to save material when they sliders are molded from synthetic plastic material. I wish to emphasize that other material is also suitable but the use of synthetic plastic material is preferred. Each slider further comprises a projection 38 extending from the portion 36 and constituting a lug 41 which projects over the forward end face lof the portion 36, as well, as a projection 40 which extends above the uppersurface 39` of the projection 36. TheI lug 41 is provided with a cutout 42. From the other end of the portion 36 extending beyond the forward end face thereof there projects a projection 43 having a downwardly di. rected portion 4. The portions 40 and 44 of each slider serve, as particularly clearly illustrated in FIG. 4, for

connecting the respective sliders with sliders received inV 45 which slightly projects from thereeend of the respectivearm in thezoperative position of the arrangement."

Wheny ,the 'arrangement is` to" be collapsed and 'the sliders are'moved 'backwards towards the member they can all be 'm'oved 'to superimposed positionswith vthe 1 projection 40 of each slider labutting against' that side face of the projection-38 below the projection 40 of thel adjacentY slider which faces `towards the respectivel pro# jection 4 3.'A pressureexerted"against vthe engaging pro# jectionsy 45 thus moves all of` the sliders `35 of `the* re- `spective: arms 16 and 17- from the inoperative position -to the operative position shown in FIG. 3, and a force exerted in direction counter thereto returns the sliders to inoperative position in which the device can be collapsed. The presence of the pins 21 prevents the sliders from exiting through theopen'rear ends of the respective grooves 22-29. f I f Laundry-supporting elements 50 are provided, which may be ribs'or the like but preferably are bars or rods; Vas shown in the drawing, the laundry-supporting elements 50 which are here bars, are connected with the respective sliders 35 via connecting members 49 with which they are rigid `and which are in turn turnably mounted on the projections 41'of the respective sliders 35 through the intermediary ofa pin 48 extending through the respective cutout 42. -If ropes or the like are substituted for the bars 50, theyfcould beconnected to the connecting members 49- or directly to the projections 41. j

To move the device from vthe operative position of FIG. 2 into the position of FIG. 1 where it is collapsed, the sliders 35 are all moved inwardly towards the base Vmemberv 15' until the arms 16 and 17 can be pivoted about the pins 21 `into positions of parallelism "with the base member 15. As this takes place, the connecting mem-A bers 49 with theibars 50 tilt with respect to the sliders 35 so that the bars 50` become positioned in concealed condition behind the arms 16 and 17 which latter are alone visible in collapsed condition. The base member 15 is provided with end Walls 18, with the legs 19 A'and20 and with a supporting wall 55. From each'of the legs 19 and 20 there projects a pin 54 which are both olset in `direction towards the arm 15 y and which project opposite the gap 53 between the free l 18 may be provided with openings 56 for forming the pins54. y l

In accordance with the invention I provide two dou# ble-armed levers 58 which are each provided with a slotted recess 57 straddling a respective one of the pins 54 SQ L that each double-armed lever 58 is rockable about the axis defined by the respective associated pin 54. The free end portion of vone arm 59 of each` lever 58 extends be, low the arm 17 and the arm 60 of each lever 58 extends below the arm 16. The Yarm 60 of each lever 58 is further provided With an abutmentportion 61 which, when the respective double-armed levers 58 arein the vposition shown`7 in FIG. 10, abuts against the wall 18 of lthe base member; 1Sa`nd th'us assures rthat'the upper surface 62 of. the

double-armed lever 58 extends in parallelism .with'the wall 13. This -is the normal position of the ilever 58 and'in thisv position the portion 61 abuts against Ythe wall. 18'. With the lever v58 in this position, turning of thev arms 16 and 17 to their inoperative position shown in FIG. v1 necessarily aligns the arms 16 and17 because' of their supportgonthe surface 62, as shown'in FIG. 10.

To open the arrangement, that isto move the arms 16 and.17eto their operative "position, it is simply necessaryto press 'down' on the arm 17 which thereby tilts the .lever-in-counterclock-wise direction las illustrated in FIG. 11 with the result that .the arm 6 (l ofthe lever 58 lifts the arm` 16 upwardly to an extent that Yit can be readily grasped .and turned tov its Aoperating, position.

rIfhereupon the `armu17 canbe similarlyjturned to its oper-vv ating'positionbecauseits Afree end isfnow readilyv acces sible, and'subsequently-the projections 45 maybe gripped tdpull .out thesliders 35. andl thereby to y.movethe hars 50 to, a positionv of readiness.

'Referring, finally, to FrGs.- 12-15 it will be seenvv that" there I have illustr ated detailsof the' construction .of the `plrtior 1 s vof the basemember A15. `It will be seen thatl each end portion of the base member is provided with an aperture 65 which advantageously i'svof keyhole-shaped configuration and which serves to mount the arrangement on a wall,'for instance'by fastening screws, nails, hooks or the like in the wall or in another support and hanging the arrangement onto them in well known manner. Because the base member 15 advantageously consists of synthetic plastic material as already mentioned and for reasons of economy of manufacture, it is desirable to renforce it in the region of these end portions and for this purpose it is provided with metallic plate-like inserts 66 which also serve to reinforce the pins 21. v Y

As shown in FIGS. 12-15 the plates 66 abut against the inside of the wall 18 and are provided with lugs 67 and 68 which respectively abut against the legs 19 and 20 of the base member 15. Referring to FIG. 14 it will be seen that the lugs 67 and 68 extend to the cutouts 69 wherein the pins 21 are provided, and are of substantially triplicium-shaped outline. Their wider portion, that is the wider base, is narrower than the plate 66 and connected with the same.

As shown in FIGS. 12-15, and also in FIG. 2, the base member 15 is provided in the region of the apertures 65 with projecting reinforcements 70 which are slightly larger than the size of the respective plate 66.

The provision of the plates 66 from metallic material and of the base member 15 from synthetic plastic material could create a problem because of the difierential coeffcients of thermal expansion of the materials. To avoid difiiculties in this respect the base member 15 is provided with cutouts or recesses 72 in the region adja cent the wall portion 71 and immediately adjacent one narrower side of the respective plate 66. In the region of the Wall 18 located behind the respective plate 66, that is in registry therewith, there is provided a substantially centrally located slot 73 and this, in conjunction with the cutout or recess 72, permit significant differential in the coefficiencts of thermal expansion of the materials without any difficulties. They make it possible for the metallic inserts, that is the plates 66 with their respective lugs 67 and 68, to transmit forces acting upon them in the region of the apertures 65 and via the pins 21, to the remainder of the base member 15 over large surface areas. To facilitate manufacture of the base member 15 the reinforcing portion 70 will advantageously be provided with shallow depressions 74 in the regions adjacent the apertures 65, as shown in the drawing.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a laundry drier, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

I claim:

1. An arrangement of the character described, comprising in combination, an elongated base member; a pair of arms each having a front portion, and a rear portion turnably connected with said base member at one end of the latter, for movement between an inactive position paralleling said base member and an active position extending normal thereto, said arms having respective surfaces facing one another in said active position; a plurality of parallel grooves provided `in each of said surfaces and extending from the respective rear portion longitudinally of the respective arm towards the respective front portion; a slider mounted in each of said grooves for movement longitudinally thereof; connecting means connecting all sliders of each arm for consecutive movement; hanger means extending between associated sliders of the respective arms; and rocker means mounted on said base member and operative for engaging said r 6 arms and effecting predetermined positioning thereof relative.to one another when the same are moved to said inoperative position and for shifting one of said arms out of said inoperative position in response to movement of the other arm beyond said inoperative position.

2. An arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein the combined length of said arms is substantially equal to the length of said elongated base member.

3. An arrangement as defined in claim 1, said rocker means being provided on a face of said base member which is juxtaposed with said arms when the latter are in said inoperative position.

4. An arrangement as defined in claim 3, said rocker member being rockable about an axis substantially normal to the elongation of said arms when the latter are in said inoperative position and substantially parallel with, between said arms when the same are in said operative position.

5. An arrangement as defined in claim 4, wherein said rocker means comprises a rockably mounted doublearmed lever.

6. An arrangement as defined in claim 5, wherein said axis is closer to one end of said base member than to the other end so as to be offset towards that one of said arms which is associated with said one end.

7. An arrangement as defined in claim 4, said rocker means comprising a double-armed lever in sliding engagement with said face of said base member.

8. An arrangement as defined in claim 7, said rocker means including a pin extending from said face and defining said axis, and said double-armed lever being provided with a cutout straddling said pin so that said lever is rockable about said axis.

9. An arrangement as defined in claim 7, said doublearmed lever being rockable between a rest position and an operated position; and further comprising an abut- =ment portion provided on one arm of said lever for engaging said base member and limiting movement of said lever relative thereto in response upon movement of said lever to said rest position thereof.

10. An arrangement as defined in claim 4, said base member being of substantially U-shaped cross section; and wherein said rocker means includes an additional double-armed lever similar to the first-mentioned one and arranged mirror-symmetrically with reference thereto.

11. An arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein successive grooves in each of the respective arms have progressively different lengths. j

12. An arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said grooves have groove ends facing the respective front portions, and wherein said groove ends are at least partially closed.

13. An arrangement as defined in claim 1, said hanger means including a plurality of rods each extending between and pivotally connected with a pair of sliders respectively provided on said arms.

14. An arrangement as defined in claim 1', each of said arms including one of said sliders which is proximal to the respective front portion when said arms are in said operative position; and wherein said one sliders are each provided with a gripping portion projecting beyond the respectively associated front portion when said arms are in said operative positions.

15. An arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein at least said base member consists of synthetic plastic material.

16. An arrangement as defined in claim 15, said base member having spaced end portions each provided with a mounting aperture, and a reinforcing plate overlying each of said apertures abutting against a face of said ba'se member which is juxtaposed with said arms when the same are in said inoperative positions, each of said reinforcing plates including two projections extending away from the respective aperture.

17. An arrangement as dened in claim 16, wherein said reinforcing plates consist of metallic material.

18. An arrangement as defined in claim 17, said base member being provided in the region of each of said reinforcing plates with at least one cutout so positioned as to provide space for expansion of the associated reinforcing plate in the event of thermal expansion of the latter at a rate different from that of said base member.

19. An arrangement as dened in claim 18, said base member having opposite end walls proximal to the respective reinforcing plates, and said cutouts being provided intermediate the respective end wall and the associated reinforcing plate.

20. An arrangement as dened in claim 19; further said face opposite the respective reinforcing plate.

References Cited kUNITED STATES PATENTS f Scully 211-94 883,053 3/1908 950,859 3/1910 Michaud 211-94 5 1,220,215 3/1917 Gauss 211-172 1,422,061 7/1922I Hughes 211-94 1,513,596 10/1924 Judelson 211-94 FOREIGN PATENTS 10 569,794 11/1957 Italy.

NILE C. BYERS, JR., Primary Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 

